Printing telegraph



Nqv. 14, 1933. L. CAMMEN 1,935,016

PRINTING TELEGRAPH Filed May 26, 1953 2 Sheets-Shee t 1 1 IN VENTOR.

Nov. 14, 1933. CAMMEN 1,935,016

PRINTING TELEGRAPH Filed May 26, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3/ eas- 514 z INVENTOR.

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Patented .Nov 14, 1933 g I v I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRINTING TELEGRAPH Leon Cammen, New York, N. Y. H Application May 26, 1933. Serial No. 672,965 15 Claims. (01. 178-33) The present invention refers to telegraph printconductor 40 is coded as follows: PN, N'P, ers of the nonsynchronoustype (stop-'and- P- -P,-the signals being divided into three groups start), and has for itspurpose the production of two for reasons that will appear hereafter. of a fast telegraph printer of low initial cost. As the first P impulse comes in, the armature In the illustrations, a

Fig. 1 shows an electromagnet with two windat 21 and thereby establishing the following cirings and resistance; v cuit, the meaning of its constituents to be set Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically the electrical forth presently: 21 to' 20 to 23 over 24 to 25 to 36 circuits of the apparatus; to'P27 over. 28 to 22 to 495 to SMS to 21.

Fig. 3 shows the subsidiary grid; v As the impulse coming over. 40 is very weak, '65

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section of the mai it is merely used to close the circuit at 21 which grid bars and cancellation mechanism; causes a flow of energy into another circuit from Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the apparatus an independent source of power 22 which may be of Fig. 4; I of any desired magnitude. Of the other con- Fig. 6 is the mechanism for moving the comstituent parts ofthe circuit reference will now 70 mutators. be made to'the subsidiary grid, Fig. 3. This is .Only the receiving mechanism is'shown here, essentially a switching device, and consists of'two as the matter of the appropriate sending mech- (though a greater number is'possible) bars in anism has been set forth in my other patent apone set capable of moving, as by motor elements plication, Printing telegraphs, filed April12, 1933, 811 and 812, towards the other set of two bars (5 Ser. No. 665,633, now pending before .the Patent 813 and 814), producing a circuit closing con- Oflice. I I, tact when a bar in one set meets a bar in the The operating mechanismponsistsy of type other set. For the sake of convenience, the 811 mounted in the usuabmanner' on keys, e. g. such and 812 bars will be referred to as horizontal, and

as are used in typewriters, I these keys being the other two as vertical, P27 of Fig. 2 beingthe 80 mounted on a system of levers'in such a manner same as 811, N55 as 812, P61 as 813 and N38 asthat a pull or -pressure on the appropriate 'lev'er 814; Two impulses can be here used to produce 8. causes the type face ofthe key to impinge on a closing-of the circuit at any one of four points rollyor tape of paper, as'through'an inking ribdesired; l 1 a r 30 bon, and print the character. The same mech- I have next a system of what I have referred 85 anism may be used to produce a spacing of letto as commutators, of which in'the circuit'hereters or words. Q v shown-there are seven, 25,306, etc. They are all The sending stationcauses groups of impulses, mounted on the same shaft and are moved for known as the code, to travel along the wire or one-sixth of-the appropriate angular distance for other conductor, such as andithe present in- .each impulse coming over conductor 40. Each 90 vention is concerned exclusively'with the apparacommutator consists of a means of bringing the' tus and method that permits'a selected group of current in, e. g. as by wire 24, a conductor or impulses to operate the key that prints on the brush, 25, moved upon every impulse, and an paper the letters corresponding to that group outerco'ntactsuchas 36, properlyconnected into 40 of impulses in the code used by the machine. In the circuit as will be shown hereafter, each com- 95 the present invention two kinds of impulses with inutator controlling its own circuit in a suitable some spacing between them are used, and by way manner. In the position shown in Fig. 2, the of illustration a machine described wherein sixtopmost commutator is receiving current flowing ty-fourcharacters or their equivalents may be irom 22'into 24, by the circuit 'shownin detail decoded fromsix impulses per'character. The previously, whereupon conductor brush 25 peronly requirement as'to'the impulses isthat'they mits it to flow into the busbar shown by the dotshould be of twokinds, positive and negative," ted line, and thence the. current flows to P27; S on and k, 10W h Speed quency, It will be noted that when the brush 25 has been etc. They shall be'denotedhereas P and N. moved to a difierent position, an entirely difier- 0 The impulse from thesending station comes ent flow of currentis instituted. 1 over wire 40orsimilar conductor, such as ether, As previously stated, the current passes andgoes to a device, such as a polarized relay, through SMS which is a switching magnet'and sensitive to the kind ofimpulses use such as when energized, causes the attraction of the ar- PN. To show the operation of the device, let it mature which then makes contactwith 730, and

, be assumed that'the character being sent'over establishes the following circuit: 22 over .728- 110,

20 is attracted causing the closing of the switch through armature of SMS to 730 to S to M to 595 and back to 22; 495, 595 and 695 are lamps or resistances, and may be eliminated by a proper selection of the windings of the various magnets.

The reason for the creation of the circuit through S-M operated by SMS is as follows. As will be shown later, S-M has to exert a considerable amount of power which means that a fairly large current must be sent through it. At the same time, SMS which represents here SM, is at times in series with several other magnets, and at times has very little in series with it. The amount of energy flowing through this particular magnet is therefore apt to become excessive under one set of conditions, or insufiicient under another. To take care of this difficult situation, the switching magnet SMS has been introduced. It takes only enough power to close the switch at 730, but permits SM to take at all times all the power it needs from its own circuit through lamp 595.

The action of SM. is shown in Fig. 6. As SM is energizedpit attractsarmature 256which causes pawl 257 to slide upwards along the ratchet wheel against the tension of spring 252. When, however, the circuit. energizing SM is broken, the armature falls OE, and spring 252 pulls the ratchet wheel over .one step. The commutators are mounted on the same shaft as the ratchet wheel, or. on a layshaft geared. to the ratchet wheel shaft. It is important to note that the ratchet wheel is moved on the break of the current through SM, and not on the make.

From the explanation of. the action of the subsidiary gridit appearsthat in order for it to act,

it isnecessary that either 811. or 812 move .towards the set of bars 813-814, and that one of these latter move to meet it. This is simple when both selected bars move at the same time, but if one moves first, it must beheld until the bar in the other set has a chance to move. In

other-words, the first-operatedbar must be locked inoperable position until the second-operated bar has a chance to move. This may be accomplishedby anyof the known mechanical detents, but is done electrically here in the following manner.

As the current from 36. (uppermost commutator) goes through P27, the latter attracts its armature 301.- which moves the subsidiary grid bar 31-32 (811. of Fig.3). Furthermore, the current from the line 36-P27 also flows into 302 because of the wiring provided. but usually the cir cuit isbroken at 304, except when the armature is pulled up and closes the circuit there. The following circuit is then established: 36 to 302 over 301 to 384 over 305. and over 306 to 307 and by wire 44 and lamp 495 to 22. In this way, two currents are fiowing'through the winding of magnet P27', and if. desired, two windings thereon maybe provided, as shown in Fig. 1. One of the currents, however, is supplied through 21, which means thatit lasts only as longasthe impulse coming over conductor'40, and when this ceases, it stops, so that, were it not for thegsec- 0nd current, armature 301 would have pulled away, and coordinate bar 31-32 would fallback from its operating positioni The secondcurrent, however, keeps it locked; The presence of a proper resistance. 395 in series with the winding carrying the second, i. e: locking, current is important; as otherwise the circuit becomes unstable, and SM is apt to operate several times on the same impulse. The advantage of using an electrical detent as compared with mechanical detents lies in the elimination of several moving parts and cancellation magnets, all the more undesirable as they have to operate three times for every character, i. e. at extremely small intervals of time.

As the impulse over 40 ceases, the SM magnet is de-energized, and ratchet wheel 252 is moved one step, in turn moving all the commutators one step, to the following positions: 78; 322; 332; 432; 532;v 632; 37. The next impulse is N closing switch 34 and establishing the following primary circuit: 34 to 35 over 136 to 29 to 37 to N38 which moves coordinate subsidiary bar 31- 58. The current then goes by wire 28 to 22, 495, SMS to 34, concluding the circuit. The closing of the switch at 31-39, at the intersection of the coordinate bars 31-32 and 31-58, operates the motor element 1 on the main grid (the construction and functions of this letter will be explained presently), the current continuing to 31, to 608 to 632 to 1 to 928 to 28 to 22 closing the circuit. SMS isthen de-energized. by the breaking of the circuit at 34 due to discontinuance, of the impulse from the sending station which in turn causes SM to de-energize, and moves the ratchet wheel and commutators to a new position, one step ahead. Among others, 306 is moved from position 322 to 323, the brush passing over the cutout at 364 which causes a break in the flowof current supplied to the holdingwinding of magnet P27, permitting the armature 301 to fall off. This unlocks coordinate bar 31-32. on the subsidiary grid and permits it to return to its original position.

Reference has been made above to motor element 1 on the main coordinate grid. An element of this grid is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. .Likethe subsidiary grid of Fig. 3 it consists essentially of two sets of bars (this term being used in its wider sense, and not limited to any particular geometric shape), actionbeing produced when one bar in each set has moved. When magnet 815 is energized, it attracts armature 816 causing bar 825 [to move to the-left, which also moves to the left the movable members 819 and 820 held in the position shown in the drawings by springs 821. If a bar in the other set, such as 823, moved from its position shown downwards.

nothing would happen, but if bar 825 were moved to the left first, 823 would strike the projection 824 and thereby move 819 down, pulling down 817 which is one of the levers on the printing typewriter, this in turn producing an impression of the proper character on the paper tape or page.

As set forth above, the second impulse caused i themotor element 1 to operate, this motor element being represented in Fig. 4 by 815. If no other provision were made, the armature 816 would have returned to its original position under the action-of spring 828 as soon as the current through .815 has been broken, and the apparatus would have become inoperative. To prevent this, a detent has been provided, this consisting of bar 827 provided with shoulder 829 and swivellingly attached to post 836.

When 825 1,

moves forward, it carries with it catch 830 which in due-time. engages withthe shoulder 829 and does not permit bar 825 to move back until 827 moved to-an extent sufficient to release 830.

Two impulses have therefore been used up; the

subsidiarygrid is in its original position; coordinate bar 1- on the main grid is held in its operatve position by a detent, and the commutators are in the-following positions: 77; 333; 323; 433; 533; 633; 57., The next pair of impulses are N-P.

erating bar 58-456; thence bywire 28 to 22, to" 495 to SMS (closing the circuit of SM in themannerpreviously describedlito 34 completing the circuit. When N has been energized, it pulled over armature 359 which closed the cir-' cuit at 360, so that now the current is flowing as follows: 360 to 395 150305 to 323 to 306 10.307 to 44 to 495 to 22'to 28 to N55 closing the cir-. cult and providing the holding current for N55. Such a holding current is provided every time a first operated bar is used on the subsidiary grid, and will not be described in detail hereafter.

Bar 56- 58 is now held in its operativeposition;

Next, SM moves-all the commutators one step forward, into the following positions: 60; 324;

334; 434; 534; 634; 358.- -Three impulses have been used up; one of the bars on the main grid is locked in'its operative position, and so is one bar (58-56) on the subsidiary grid. I

Next comes impulse P establishing the following circuit: 21 to 23 to 24 to 60 over 25, to P61 moving coordinate bar on the subsidiary grid 3256, then by wire 28 to 22, to 495, to SMS to 21. With N55- previously locked, the movingof P61 closes the switch at 56, letting the current to go to 408, to 43 to S1-, the current continuing to 928, and over 28 to 22. S-1 is a magnet and when energized, attracts its armature which closes the switch at 46'7468. No current, however, is flowing as the circuit isbroken elsewhere in a number of places. A catch is provided to lock the armature of S1 in attracted position, thus keeping the switch 467468 closed. The

purpose of this operation will appear presently. Four impulses have now been consumed.

Brush 306, in moving over the cutout between 324 and 325 broke theholding current on N55, so that the subsidiary is back again in its original position. The commutators are now in the following positions: 59; 335=(no brush); 325; 435; 535; 635; 459. The next pair of impulses are The first P impulse closes as before the switch at 21, and establishes the following circuit: '21 to 23 to 24 to 59 to P27 which actuates coordinate baron the subsidiary grid 31-32, and is locked in position by the second current.

tions: 260; 336; 326; 436; 536; 686; 560.

The following impulse is again aP, and the circuit is 21 to 23 to 24 to 260 to P61 which actuates bar 32'56, the current then continuing over 28 to 22, to 495 to SMS and 21. Withbar 3132 locked previously, and 3256 now moved, the switch at 32 is closed, the current being permitted to flow over 308 and'336to motor elements 8, 12 and-16.

' These represent the same kind of bars on the main coordinate grid as are shown as 823 in Figs. '4 and Let us now consider bar 12. The current comes into it over 336,.but it cannot get out ofit as the switch at 567568 is open. The

same applies to 16, where the switchat 667668 more such bars, 17 to 20, can be installed) are SM moves,. shiftingthe commutators to the following posi.

divided into groups of four, each group .con-

trolled by a pre-selector switch or magnet S. The magnet SM acts now, and causes therelease into theoriginal position of magnet P27 on the subsidiary grid; italso moves all the commutators into thepositions shown in the drawings, and hence makes them ready forxhandling the next character. Bar 1 and selector S1 are still, however, in their locked position, and must now be unlocked. The mechanism for doingthis'is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. There is provided there a bar 833 swingingly supported by legs 831 and 832 and held in the position shown by spring 834. Bar 833 carries a T-shaped piece826; 835 in Fig. 5 frepresents the :detents of the selectors S, one of which is held thereby in its locked position. The projecting part of 826 is soarranged that when moved down, ,it would catch the bar 827. .1

On the last impulse one of the vertical bars (say 8 in Fig. 2, or. 823. in Figs. 4-and 5) is moved down, carrying with it 824. If the latter is moved sufiiciently fanlit will force down 833, the projection 826 depressing 827 "until the shoulder 829 is no more engaged with catch 830, where- ;upon spring '828 pulls-back the post to which it is attached, and with'it bar 825, placing this latter into its original inoperative position and makingit ready for the next cycle of operations. Furthermore, bar 833 in its downward movement depresses the catch 835' of the selector detent, and releases thelatter. Magnet 834 corresponds to8inFig-.2. w

The movementof833 may be used to move the tape. Thedetails of this are not shown as any engineer can design the necessary apparatus, or an. apparatus similar to that of Fig. 6 may be used.

While in referring to the elementsof the coordinate systems, the term bar'has been used for the sake of convenience, it is specifically desired to disclaim any limitation thereby of the term as limited by any geometric shape of the elements so employed; the intention being simply to refer-to parts of apparatus wherein interaction can be produced'only as a result of a motion other than that of: simply-additive vectors.

I claim: '1. Apparatus comprising two devices, each responsive to a particular'kind of electric impulses; two switches each controlled by one of the single' type-impulse-responsive devices; a source of electrical energy'controlled' by said switches and set, said means themselves operating the symboli impressing devices; means todivide the. desired set of coordinate bars into groups, and means to supply energy only to a selected groupof coordinate bars, and to a selected-motor;element actuatinga bar in said selected group, said means comprising a subsidiary set of coordinate bars wherein the cooperation of a member ofone set a with a member of the other set causes'the closing of a switch, and a system of single-path .commutators .moving simultaneously and through the same part of the cycle, together with means to move said commutators one step for, each electrical impulse receivedby one of the impulsesensitive devices; of said commutators four hav- 1 ing means to provide a path of flow of energy,

on the second impulseto the motor element operating the selected member of the first-operated set of the main coordinate bars; on the fourth impulse to the selected unit of the apparatus each unit of which controls the admission of energy to one group of the second-operated set of the main coordinate bars,,and on the sixth impulse.

to the selected members of the second set of the the impulse-sensitive devices that each one of.

said commutators is traversed by an electric current only subsequently to the response of the impulse-sensitive device to which said commutator is connected, the current traversing the commutator being from a source other than the impulse.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the commutators'are moved bya motor element fed by a current fromv a source other than the signalling impulse, said current being delivered through a switch controlled by either of the impulse-sensitive devices.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the commutators: are moved by a motor element fed by. a current from asource. other than the signalling impulse, said current being delivered through a switch whereof the closing-and opening isin turn controlled by a switch controlled by either ofthe impulse-sensitive devices.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim. 1, wherein the coordinate bars in' both the main and the subsidiary sets are divided into first-operated and second-operated members, and means are provided to hold the first-operated bar in each set in its operable position until released subsequent to the operation of the second-operated bar.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coordinate bars are divided into first operated and second operated members, and means are provided to hold the first-operated bar in its operable position until released subsequentto the operation of thesecond-operated bar,'the means operating the first-operated bar being an elec-- tromagnet with means to impress upon it a current subsequent to'the response to a signalling impulse by the proper impulse-sensitive device, said current ceasing to flow before the next sig nalling impulse comes'in, a-switch operated by said electromagnet, a source of current independent of the signalling impulse, an armature operable when a current is flowing through the electromagnet, means to hold the coordinate bar in its operable position by the armature when the latter is attracted by the e1ectromagnet,means to close the switch by the armaure-when in its attracted-position, means to admit thereby a cur, rent to the electromagnet, and means-to :cut oft this current in the appropriate part of the cycle by means of a commutator wherein the path for the circuit is broken during the period when the brush passes from one rest position to another rest position.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coordinate bars are divided into first-operated and second-operated members, and means are provided to hold the first-operated'bar in its operable position until released subsequent to the operation; of the' second-operated bar, the

operable and holding means comprising an electromagnet with two windings, a source of current other than the line impulses, means to admit the current to one of these windings, an armature attractable to the, electromagnet thereupon, a switch closing when the armature is attracted and means to admit thereby current to the second of said windings, said current continuing to flow" after the current in the first winding has ceased to flow, means to hold the bar in its locked position by the armature when the latter is held attracted to the electromagnet, and meansto break the current flowing through the second winding in the appropriate part of the cycle by means of a commutator wherein the path for the current is broken during the period when the brush passes from one rest position to another rest position. 9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, comprising a commutator providing a path for the flow of current at all times except when said flow is broken once in every two steps, the break occurring while the commutator is being moved from one rest position to another.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, comprising a subsidiary system of coordinate bars wherein thecooperation of any bar in one set with any bar in the other set closes a switch in a circuit wherein by the first two impulses for each char acter there is actuated the selection of one motor element in the first set of the main coordinate bars; by the .second set of impulses, the selection able position until released, a system of coordinate bars comprising movable elements and means to move these movable elements part of the way by a bar in one set and a further part of the way by the bar from the other set; a movable element so located that when moved it releases the locking means of the element previously-locked, and also so located that it is moved through-a predetermined distance by the movable elements operated by the coordinate bars when the bars of both sets have moved their assigned distances.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, and means to move the strip whereupon the symbols are impressed, said means comprising in the system main coordinate bars of movable elements forming part thereof; means to move these movable elements part of the way by a bar in one set and a further part of the way by the bar from the other set; another movable element so located that it is moved through a predetermineddistance by the movable element operated by the coordinate bars when the bars of both setshave moved their assigned distances; a circuit whereby the main coordinate bars are thus moved oncefor every character and means to transmit the movement of the second movable element to the strip'causing it to move one step for each charoperable position until released subsequentto theoperation of the second-operated bar, the means operating the first-operated bar being an electromagnet with means to impress upon it a current subsequent to the response to a signalling impulse by the proper impulse-sensitive device, said current ceasing to flow before the next signalling impulse comes in, a switch operated by said electromagnet, a source of current other than the signalling impulse, an armature operable when the. current is flowing through the electromagnet, means tohold the coordinate bar in its operableposition by the armature when the'latter is attracted by the electromagnet, means to close the switch by the armature when in its attracted position, means to admit thereby a current to the electromagnet, the resistance of the circuit of said secondly admitted current being materially greater than the resistance of the circuit of the firstly admitted current. 7

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coordinate bars are divided into first-operated and second-operated members, and means are provided to hold the first operated bar in its operable position until released subsequent to the operation of the second operated bar, the

operable and holding means comprising an elec- 15. Apparatus as set forth in'claim 1, an electromagnet to move the commutators one step for each impulse, said electromagnet being in a circuit parallel to that operating the motor elements of the main and subsidiary coordinate bar systems, and a switch controlling the admission of energy to said electromagnet operable by an electromagnet in series with the motor elements moving the bars and other movable units of the mainland subsidiary bars.

LEON CAMMEN.

systems of coordinate 

